Seating apparatus

ABSTRACT

An aircraft seating apparatus includes at least one seating unit and at least one work light unit. The work light unit is arranged in a rear region of the seating unit, thus making it possible to achieve particularly advantageous illumination of a work region of the seating unit. Furthermore, the work light unit may be arranged in the region above a worktable of the seating unit, as a result of which a particularly efficient illumination for the worktable can be obtained.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to, claims priority from, and incorporates by reference German Patent Application No. DE 10 2006 012 599.1, filed on Mar. 18, 2006.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to seating apparatuses, and particularly to a seating apparatus that includes at least one seating unit and at least one work light unit arranged in a rear region of the seating unit.

BACKGROUND

Seating apparatuses, in particular aircraft seating apparatuses, which have a seating unit and one or more work light units, are known. The work light units therein are arranged either in the region of a storage compartment or in a central console between two seating units.

However, there is a need for a seating apparatus, and in particular a seating apparatus for aircraft seats, that provides particularly advantageous illumination of a work region for a passenger seated in the seating apparatus.

SUMMARY

In view of the above, a seating apparatus, in particular an aircraft seating apparatus, is provided that includes at least one seating unit and as least one work light unit. The work light unit is arranged in a rear region of the seating unit, thus making it possible to achieve particularly advantageous illumination of a work region of the seating unit.

Furthermore, the work light unit may be arranged in the region above a worktable of the seating unit, as a result of which a particularly efficient illumination for the worktable can be obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages emerge from the description below of the drawings, which illustrate various exemplary embodiments. The drawings, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and put them together to form meaningful further combinations.

FIG. 1 shows a seating apparatus comprising a plurality of seating units,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic partial region of a seating apparatus with a seating unit, and

FIG. 3 shows a schematic partial region of a seating unit from FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals reference like parts, FIG. 1 shows a seating apparatus that includes three seating units 10, 12, 14, each of which includes two work light units 16, 18, 20, 22, 78, 80.

The term “seating apparatus” can be understood as meaning an apparatus comprising at least one seating unit, and preferably at least two seating units, with the individual seating units being arranged next to one another. Ideally, a plurality of seating apparatuses are arranged one behind another within an aircraft such that the work light unit is provided in the rear region of a seating unit for use by a passenger located in a seating unit behind the seating unit containing the work light unit.

Furthermore, a work light unit is to be understood, in particular, as meaning a unit which, in contrast to a display or to a viewing screen, is primarily provided in order to illuminate a work region located outside a work light unit. A “rear region” can be understood, in particular, as meaning a rear-wall region of a rear side of a backrest or of a rear housing of a seating unit. In a particularly advantageous manner, the work light unit is arranged on a shell unit of a rear housing of the seating unit, thus making it possible to achieve an illumination independent of a setting of the backrest of the seating unit by means of the work light unit.

Furthermore, the work light unit may be arranged in the region above a worktable of the seating unit, as a result of which a particularly efficient illumination for the worktable can be obtained. In this connection, “above a worktable” can be understood, in particular, as meaning a rear headrest region of the seating unit. Therefore, direct illumination of the worktable can be achieved. In this connection, a headrest region can be understood as meaning an upper, rear region of a seating unit that takes up preferably at maximum 30%, and particularly advantageously at maximum 20%, of the upper, rear region. In this case, a “worktable” can be understood as meaning a table surface which can be unfolded and is arranged at the rear region of the seating unit.

The work light unit is advantageously arranged in the region of an edge of the seating unit such that particularly good visibility of the work light unit can be achieved here. In addition, the arrangement of the work light unit in the region of an edge enables different regions of illumination to be obtained with just one work light unit. In this connection, the “region of an edge” can be understood as meaning a region containing the edge and/or a region which is located within one of two abutting planes in the vicinity of the edge, with the distance of the work light unit from the edge preferably being smaller than 15%, and particularly advantageously smaller than 10%, of a length of extent of the plane, which length is oriented perpendicular to the edge.

In addition, it is proposed that a surface of the work light unit is of curved design, as a result of which particularly good visibility and a large angle of radiation of the emitted light can be achieved. In this case, a “curved surface” can be understood as meaning a surface which is oriented three-dimensionally and/or is formed by a spherical surface, cylindrical surface, or the like.

In a further refinement, a main direction of extent of the work light unit at the rear region of the seating unit may be oriented essentially parallel to a table surface of a worktable. Essentially parallel can be understood in this context as meaning an orientation which preferably has an angle of inclination smaller than 15%, and particularly advantageously smaller than 10%, in relation to a reference surface. This enables a uniform illumination of the worktable to be obtained, since a distance of the work light unit from the worktable is essentially identical along the work light unit, with the worktable being unfolded in this case and therefore an area of extent of the worktable being oriented parallel to a floor, for example, to an aircraft floor. In this connection, a main direction of extent of a work light unit can be understood as meaning a direction with a maximum extent, in particular a length, of the work light unit. Alternatively or in addition, one or more work light units can also be oriented at the rear region of the seat perpendicular to the work surface, thus making it possible to at least partially reduce an undesirable formation of shadows.

In addition, it is advantageous if the work light unit is arranged movably relative to the seating unit, as a result of which an individual capability of adapting the illumination to the work surface can be achieved by it being possible to orient the work light unit to individual regions of the work surface. In this case, the work light unit is particularly advantageously arranged movably perpendicular to the rear region, and therefore particularly effective illumination of the work region can be achieved. For example, in the case of work with a laptop, in particular with a notebook, an undesirable formation of shadows on the work surface due to a laptop viewing screen can be largely avoided by it being possible to displace the work light unit directly above the input and output region of the computer.

The work light unit is advantageously arranged on a plastically deformable swan neck element, as a result of which the region of illumination of the work light unit can be oriented in any desired direction and therefore undesirable formations of shadows can also be avoided. In this connection, a “plastically deformable swan neck” can be understood as meaning a retaining arm, which can be bent in three dimensions, that is arranged at one end on the seating unit and at the other end of which the work light unit is arranged.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the work light unit is arranged on the seating unit in a manner such that it can rotate about at least one axis, thus enabling a region of illumination of the work light unit to be conveniently set by a user by rotating said unit about an axis. By rotating it about an axis which is oriented parallel to a main direction of extent of the work light unit, a stable arrangement of the work light unit on the seating unit can therefore also be maintained. It is particularly advantageous if the work light unit is arranged on the seating unit in a manner such that it can rotate about at least one second axis, and therefore the work light unit can be oriented in virtually any desired directions and, as a result, formation of irritating shadows can be at least partially avoided.

In a further refinement of the invention, the seating apparatus may have at least one further work light unit, thus enabling simultaneous illumination of different regions to be obtained. In addition, the two work light units can be arranged in different regions of the seating unit such that a reduction of shadow regions can be achieved by the two work light units by it being possible for the shadow region of one of the two work light units to be canceled out by the other work light unit.

Furthermore, at least one work light unit may comprise at least one light-emitting diode as lighting means, thereby enabling a particularly energy-saving refinement of the work light units to be obtained. In addition, light-emitting diodes are distinguished by a particularly long service life, and therefore additional costs and outlay on maintenance can be saved as a result. As an alternative or in addition, further lighting means appearing expedient to a person skilled in the art are also conceivable.

In an advantageous manner, at least one work light unit comprises at least one illuminating film as lighting means, with which a simple and space-saving configuration of relatively large illuminating surfaces, in particular curved illuminating surfaces, can be achieved. In this connection, an “illuminating film” can be understood, in particular, as meaning a film built up from multiple layers, to be precise, in particular, with a layer formed by a rear electrode, a layer formed by an insulator, a layer formed by an illuminating material and a layer formed by a front electrode.

In a further refinement of the invention, the seating apparatus may comprise a unit which is provided for changing a light emission of the work light unit, as a result of which the light emission can be changed or set, for example by a passenger, and can thus be adapted to a particular situation. “Changing a light emission” can be understood in this context as meaning changing an intensity and/or selecting different wavelength ranges of the light emitted by the work light unit. The selection of different wavelength ranges can be achieved, for example, by connecting different optical wavelength filters in front of a lighting means.

Furthermore, the unit may comprise a setting element which is provided for a central setting of the light emission of the work light unit, thus making it possible to achieve simple setting and/or operation of at least a plurality of work light units by a central setting element. In this case, a standard emergency illumination of the work light units can be switched to centrally, for example in an emergency situation of an aircraft. In this connection, the setting of the work light unit by means of a central setting element is to have higher priority than a decentralized setting at the work light unit by a passenger, and therefore the decentralized setting is partially or else fully restricted in functionality during a predetermined duration of the settings by the central setting element.

The unit advantageously comprises at least one operating element which is provided for setting the light emission of the work light unit, as a result of which convenient setting and/or operation can be made possible for an operator of the work light unit. In this case, the operating element may comprise a switch element, which can be arranged on the seating unit containing the work light unit, and/or may comprise a remote operating means.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the work light units 16, 18, 20, 22, 78, 80 are arranged in a rear region of the seating units 10, 12, 14. The work light units 16, 20, 22 are each arranged in a shell unit 24 of a rear housing 26 and the work light units 18, 78, 80 are arranged on a respective swan neck element 34, the swan neck element 34 being placed in each case on the rear housing 26 of the seating units 10, 12, 14. The work light units 16, 20, 22 are each located in the region of a headrest 54 of the respective seating units 10, 12, 14. Below the work light units 16, 20, 22, respective rectangular viewing screens 56 are integrated into the shell units 24. A respective unfoldable worktable 28 is arranged below the viewing screen 56, the worktables 28 being unfoldable downwards. In an arrangement of the worktables 28 in which they are not unfolded, a rear table surface 58 is in each case flush with the rear shell unit 24 of the housing 26. In an unfolded arrangement of the worktables 28, the table surface 58 is oriented parallel to a floor surface (not illustrated specifically here) of an aircraft. Below the worktables 28, a respective storage compartments 60 is arranged in the rear housings 26, with a depositing surface of the storage compartment 60 being oriented essentially parallel to the floor of the aircraft.

FIG. 2 shows a partial section, comprising a seating unit 10, of the seating apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. The seating unit 10 illustrated comprises two work light units 16, 18, the work light unit 16 being arranged in an edge region 64 in a region of a headrest 54 of the seating unit 10, and the work light unit 18 being located on the plastically deformable swan neck element 34. In addition, the seating unit 10 comprises a viewing screen 56 which can be unfolded upwards and is arranged below the work light units 16, 18. The work light unit 16 in the edge region 64 of the rear housing 26 is oriented essentially parallel to the table surface 58 of the unfolded worktable 28 (FIG. 3).

In addition, the work light unit 16 in the edge region 64 is oriented in such a manner that it ends flush with the shell unit 24 of the rear housing 26 (FIG. 3). The arrangement in the edge region 64 causes the work light unit 16 to have a curved surface which extends over the entire edge region 64 covered by the work light unit 16. The curved surface causes the work light unit 16 to be matched flush to an external geometry of the shell unit 24 in the region of the edge 30 in the rear region of the seating unit 10. In addition, the curved surface of the work light unit 16 causes light to be emitted with differing angles of radiation. The work light unit 16 comprises a lighting means which is formed by an illuminating film 42, the illuminating film 42 being essentially matched to a shape of the curved surface of the work light unit 16 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

In order to configure the region of illumination by means of the work light unit 16 on the table surface 58 of the worktable 28 to be as flexible as possible, the work light unit 16 is rotatable about two axes 36, 38 in the region of the headrest 54 (FIG. 3). The axis 36 is oriented parallel to an edge line 66 of the edge region 64 of the seating unit 10, and therefore, when the work light unit 16 is rotated about the axis 36, a region of illumination having a high light intensity of the work light unit 16 is directed at various regions of the table surface 58 of the worktable 28. In addition, the work light unit 16 is arranged rotatably about the further axis 38, with the axis 38 running perpendicularly to the edge line 66 of the edge region 64 and essentially perpendicularly to the table surface 58 of the unfolded worktable 28, and therefore the illumination of the work surface 28 can be configured even more flexibly (FIG. 3). The rotation of the work light unit 16 about one of the two axes 36, 38 takes place independently of the rotation about the other axis 36, 38.

In addition, the work light unit 16 in the edge region 64 of the seating unit 10 is arranged movably, as illustrated by dashed lines in FIG. 2. In this case, the work light unit 16 can be displaced perpendicularly to the shell unit 24 of the rear housing 26 and essentially parallel to the plane of extent of the table surface 58 of the unfolded worktable 28. In addition, in the displaced state, the work light unit 16 is furthermore rotatable about the axis 36 which is oriented parallel to the edge line 66 of the edge region 64. In addition to flexible illumination of the worktable 28, effective illumination of the storage compartment 60 arranged below the worktable 28 is therefore also achievable (FIG. 1).

Next to the work light unit 16 in the edge region 64 of the seating unit 10, the plastically deformable swan neck element 34, on which the further work light unit 18 is located, is arranged in an upper corner region 70 of the shell unit 24 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The swan neck element 34 is formed by a plastically deformable, tubular retaining arm, with the work light unit 18 being arranged at one end of the swan neck element 34 and the swan neck element 34 being mounted at another end on the shell unit 24. The work light unit 18 on the swan neck element 34 comprises a lighting means formed by a light-emitting diode 40. In order to supply the light-emitting diode 40 of the work light unit 18 with power, a power supply line 76 is located in the interior of the swan neck element 34 (FIG. 3). The plastically deformable swan neck element 34 can be deformed three-dimensionally such that a region of radiation of the work light unit 18 can be set to virtually any desired angular range. In addition, a part of the swan neck element 34 that protrudes over the housing 26 can be set flexibly in its length by a partial region of the swan neck element 34, which region reaches over the desired length, being accommodated in a recess (not illustrated specifically here) provided for it in the rear housing 26 of the seating unit 10. In principle, it is also conceivable to provide the seating unit 10 with further swan neck elements.

Furthermore, the seating unit 10 comprises a unit 44 which is provided for changing a light emission of the work light units 16, 18 arranged on the seating unit 10 (FIG. 3). In this case, the unit 44 allows both a change of the light intensity and a selection of different wavelength ranges in the work light units 16, 18. In addition, the rotation of the work light unit 16 in the edge region 64 about the two axes 36, 38 and the displacement perpendicular to the rear housing 26 can also be set by the unit 44. The selection of the different wavelength ranges takes place in this case by filtering the desired wavelength region out of a spectral range of the emitted light of the particular work light unit 16, 18 by means of optical filters (not illustrated here). The changing of the light intensity is achieved by a supply of current, differing from the unit 44, to the particular work light unit 16, 18. In this case, the unit 44 is connected to the individual work light units 16, 18 belonging to a seating unit 10 by means of an internal data line 74, which is formed by a data bus, and the power supply line 76. As an alternative or in addition, the internal data line 74 may also be formed by a radio link. Furthermore, the unit 44 is connected to a current supply unit (not illustrated specifically) which is located outside the seating apparatus, via a current supply line (not illustrated specifically).

The setting of the light intensity or of the desired wavelength range takes place both centrally by means of a central setting element 46 and also by means of three operating elements 48, 50, 52 (FIG. 3) which can be operated directly by a passenger located in a seating unit arranged behind the seating unit 10. In this case, the setting element 46 and the three operating elements 48, 50, 52 are surrounded by the unit 44. During operation of the central setting element 46, all of the work light units 16, 18, 20, 22, 78, 80 are uniformly covered by the same setting (FIGS. 1 and 2). During operation of the central setting element 46, the work light units 16, 18, 20, 22, 78, 80 can only be set by the said setting element within a previously defined and/or settable period of time. The central setting element 46 is connected to the unit 44 via the internal data line 74 and to a central operating element (not illustrated specifically) via a data line (not illustrated specifically).

The decentralized setting of the respective work light units 16, 18 surrounded by a seating unit 10 takes place via the two operating elements 48, 50 which are formed by a respective switch element and are arranged directly on the seating unit 10, with a respective operating element 48, 50, formed by a switch element, being provided for the setting of a respective work light unit 16, 18. The switch element here is formed in each case by a touch-sensitive switch element which is designed with a touch-sensitive touch pad (not illustrated specifically here). By means of the touch-sensitive switch elements, a passenger can set both the intensity and the wavelength range of the particular work light unit 16, 18, with a setting menu being activated on the viewing screen 56 by touching the switch elements and therefore simpler setting and changing of the light emission of the particular work light unit 16, 18 being achieved. In principle, however, further touch-sensitive switch elements appearing expedient to a person skilled in the art are always conceivable. The operating elements 48, 50 formed by switch elements are also arranged, corresponding to the work light units 16, 18, in the region of the headrest 54 of the rear housing 26 of the seating unit 10. In this case, the operating elements 48, 50 are connected to the unit 44 and the work light units 16, 18 via the internal data line 74. In addition, the work light units 16, 18 can be operated via a further operating element 52 which is formed by a remote operating means provided for operating the work light units 16, 18. The said operating element is connected to the unit 44 via a data line (not illustrated specifically). With this operating element 52, the individual work light units 16, 18 can be set independently of each other.

It should be noted that, while the above discussed seating apparatus is particularly advantageously suitable for aircraft, it can also be used in other areas appearing expedient to a person skilled in the art, such as, for example, in the area of vehicles, such as relatively large passenger vehicles, long-distance coaches, or ferries, or in the context of seating equipment for assembly halls, such as for a convention hall, a theater hall, a cinema hall and the like.

The invention is described herein in detail with particular reference to presently preferred exemplary embodiments. However, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the scope and spirit of the invention. 

1. An aircraft seating apparatus, comprising: at least one seating unit; and at least one work light unit arranged in a rear region of the seating unit.
 2. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work light unit is arranged on a shell unit of a rear housing of the seating unit.
 3. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work light unit is arranged in the region above a worktable of the seating unit.
 4. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work light unit is arranged in the region of an edge of the seating unit.
 5. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the work light unit is of curved design.
 6. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a main direction of extent of the work light unit at the rear region of the seating unit is oriented essentially parallel to a table surface of a worktable.
 7. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work light unit is movably arranged relative to the seating unit.
 8. The seating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the work light unit is arranged on a plastically deformable swan neck element.
 9. The seating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the work light unit is arranged on the seating unit in a manner such that it can rotate about at least one axis.
 10. The seating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the work light unit is arranged on the seating unit in a manner such that it can rotate about at least one second axis.
 11. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least a second additional work light unit.
 12. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work light unit comprises at least one light-emitting diode as lighting means.
 13. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work light unit comprises at least one illuminating film as lighting means.
 14. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a unit which is provided for changing a light emission of the work light unit.
 15. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit comprises a setting element which is provided for a central setting of the light emission of the work light unit.
 16. The seating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit comprises at least one operating element which is provided for setting the light emission of the work light unit.
 17. The seating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the work light unit is arranged on the seating unit in a manner such that it can rotate about at least one second axis. 